Review: Fredrik Backman's Beartown book by Fourth Dimension Club

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove returns with a dazzling, profound novel about a small town with a big dream—and the price required to make it come true.

Author

Fredrik Backman is a Swedish columnist, blogger and writer. He grew up in Helsingborg and has been writing for Helsingborgs Dagblad and Moore Magazine. A man called Ove is his debut novel which was published in 2012.

His notable other works are : My grandmother asked me to tell you she's sorry, Britt-Marie was here and Us Against You.

They were number one bestsellers in his native Sweden. They have been published around the world in more than twenty-five languages.

Review

I picked up this book within a few days after reading "A man called Ove" book. I still think about Ove and his wonderful story. Beartown is quite different and amazing in its own way. The only reason I picked up this book is to savor more of Backman's writing. I didn't know anything about the book prior reading it.

The story revolves around the hockey game and the peoples passion about it. Hockey is the heart of this isolated town called Beartown which surrounded by wilderness and plundering by unemployment. The only thing matters here is winning. The town needs a win, and winning only can save this town by attracting investors and sponsors who can stabilize the economy. In this book, Backman takes us through an array of emotions.

Never trust people who don't have something in their lives that they love beyond all reason.

The author weaved the character development beautifully and added enough background details for almost every character we encounter. This helps the readers to emotionally connect with them. I never felt bored or let down by the author through out the reading experience. The story starts with the hockey game of the junior's team and about must winning it. The couch and team manager determined on winning and saving the dying town. Parents are devoted on their children joining the hockey team and eventually qualifying up into the leagues and nationals. People waiting to witness a win after many years and celebrate it unconditionally.

Everyone has a thousand wishes before a tragedy, but just one afterward.

In this crucial time, a tragedy strikes and which questions the morals and ethics of humanity. The story suddenly turns to a darker path which rips the town and its people. Some struggle with the consequences while other showcases their braveness. The author brilliantly captured all sides and showed the light and darkness of humanity. How the people of Beartown responded to the issue?

Thus the juniors hockey team wins? What happens to the town at the end? Backman unfolds all these flawlessly and entertains us through out this little bulky book.

You never have the sort of friends you have when you’re fifteen ever again. Even if you keep them for the rest of your life, it’s never the same as it was then.

The writing is a little different and matured from the Ove's book. I didn't know about the premise of this book and keep wondering thus the whole book is about hockey. I think that helped me to enjoy reading this book even more. Portraying of friendship, attention to details and character development is amazing. I'm ready to jump into the next book in this series "Us Against You" and know more about the fate of it's characters and the Beartown.

Highly recommended this emotionally powerful and beautifully written book about hockey, friendship, love, passion and people of Beartown.

My Rating 4.5/5.

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